Description

Lingala, sometimes called Ngala, is a Bantu language spoken mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in the Republic of Congo and also spoken in Angola and the Central African Republic.

Lingala developed as a language used mostly for trade, and it’s thought that originated from Bobangi, a language that has historically functioned as a trade language along the Congo River.

The Congolese are extremely friendly. They commonly stop to greet friends, and even strangers, on the street, and their warmth spills out of their language in colorful bursts. For example, in the morning,a Lingala native speaker would greet by asking, “Hello, is that you? (Mbote, Yo wana?), or Are you awake? (Olamuki?)!